An Ancient Act of Iconoclasm

by Marcus Milwright | Talking about art

What makes some people choose to destroy works of art? This talk examines an act of iconoclasm in an eighth-century church in Jordan, locating it in a context of religious debates about the legitimacy of images.

Detail of the east end of a mosaic pavement in the church of St Stephen, Umm al-Rasas, Jordan, eighth century. Photograph taken in 2005